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HISTORY 



-OF THE— 



REGULATORS and MODERATORS 



AND THE 



Shelby County War in 1841 and 1842, 



IN THE 



REPUBLIC OF TEXAS, 

With facts and incidents in the early history of the 
RepubHc and State, from 1837 to the annex- 
ation, together with incidents of fron- 
tier Hfe and Indian troubles, and 
the war on the Reserve in 
Young county in 1857. 

BY JONH W. MIDDLETON, 
An active participant in all the scenes described and a Texas Pioneer. 




Fort Worth, Texas: 
Loving Publishing Company. 

1883. 



HISTORY 



—OF THE- 



REGULATORS and MODERATORS 



AND THE 



Shelby County War in 1841 and 1842, 



IN THE 



REPUBLIC OF TEXAS, 

With facts and incidents in the early history of the 
Repubhc and State, from 1837 to the annex- 
ation, together with incidents of fron- 
tier hfe and Indian troubles, and 
the war on the Reserve in 
Young county in 1857. 

BY JONH W. MIDDLETON, 
An active participant in al! the scenes described and a Texas Pioneer. 






Fort Worth, Texas: 

Loving Publishing Company. 

1883. 






Dcdicdtm: 



to my wife, ISlrs, Jane 6, TSliddhton, an old 
citizen oftexas, and cognizant of many facts related 
in this pamphlet, and now the companion and solace 
of my declining years, this pamphlet is with love 
and affection dedicated 

By h^f Busband, 

J. W. MIDDLETON. 



PREFACE. 



I am now in the seventy-fifth year of time from my birth. Have been 
an active citizen of Texas ever since 1837, and been a participant in many 
of the graphic as well as the sanguinary incidents related in the following 
pages. And I am impelled by a sense of justice and due regard to the 
memory and the appreciation of my comrades, friends and associates — tried, 
good and true of that time — "trying time" — to give to the public in my 
declining years a true, faithful and impartial account of things that to my 
own knowledge have so often been misrepresented. And I hereby give to 
the future historian of the early history of Texas for his guidance the facts 
contained in this narrative. 



HISTORY 



OF THE 



Regulators and Moderators 



And the Shelby County War. 



CHAPTER I. 

Yielding to the solicitations of many old friends and participants in the 
exciting scenes of the early history Republic of Texas, and desirous to correct 
the errors which have arisen in regard to the causes of the "Shelby County 
War," and to place before the public in a fair and impartial light the action of the 
two parties engaged in the difficulties in Shelby and other counties in Eastern 
Texas in 1841 and 1842, 1 have undertaken this work. I was a resident at that time 
of Shelby county and a witness to and sufferer in many of the bloody conflicts 
of that stormy per'od. Many histories have been \vi'itten of the time mentioned, 
but either facts have been suppressed or such a coloring has been given them 
as to do injustice to one or the other of the parties engaged. The only exactly, 
fair and true narrative, that to my knowledge was ever written, was by Colonel 
Mormon, and this was destroyed or lest, and in consequence of h's death it 
could not be repioduced. The loss of his work has been long deplored by 
those who felt a deep interest in transmitting to their posterity the true history 
of that period and shielding their names from the obloquy in which it has been 
sought to clothe them. Many years -have passed since the occurrence of the 
events I am about to relate, but they sur\ave fresh and green in my memory. 



— 6— 

Old age has fallen upon me and many others who upheld law and order in those 
dangerous days, and with no little consolation we remember that all our efforts 
were devoted to the good of this, then, new country and to the advancement of 
its moral condition. 

It is fitting, before I enter upon my narrative, that I give a brief 
biography of myself, w'ith some mention of my, ancestry. John Middleton, a 
grandfather, was an American soldier in the war of the Revolution, and was 
present at the battles of the Gowpens and Guilford Gourt House; served under 
Gates until his defeat and then under Green until the close of the war. He 
■\vas the officer sent to arrest Ghamp, who was sent after Arnold, the traitor, 
who deserted to the British, and pursued him so closely that" he got his cloak, 
as Ghamp got too far into the deep water of the sea for him to be followed. 
Ghamp acting as a deserter to promote, success. After the Revolution he 
belonged to a company to sustain law and order, and assisted to maintain 
it by constant efforts to arrest and bring to justice violators of the law. 
Among these felons were the Big and Little Arp, whosa misdeeds were 
notorious throughout the country. Big Arp was killed by Elisha Green, in 
South Carolina, near his cave in. the wilderness. His death resulted from 
maltreatment of the wife of a man named Leeper by Lit.le Arp. Little 
Arp continued his criminal conduct and operated on the "old road" from 
Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee. A notorious rover who 
conducted his villianies alone and for whose body a reward of one 
thousand dollars was offered in Natchez, remained verj'' near the "Lower 
Natchez read" and the Ghoctaw line. Little Arp and his partner knowing his 
whereabouts and anxious for the reward, went to his camp, killed him, cut off his 
head and carried his body to Natchez, believing the head not wanted as the 
reward was only offered for the body. They were immediately arrested by the 
people and executed, as they were as obnoxious as the man they had killed. 
This ended the criminals of that section. 

My mother was Martha Tubb, and my great-grandfather, George Tubb, 
Sr., was under Washington at Braddock's defeat and at the battle of Bunker 
Hill. He, his two brothers and all their sons, over the age of fourteen years, 
were in the Golonial Army, under the immediate command of Gen. Washington 
during the entire Revolutionary war, and all survived but one. 

When the Greek war broke out in 1812, my father w^as working out a 
saltpetre cave in what is now Lawrence county, Tennessee, on Grosson's fork 
of Shoal creek. All who had been working with him, except his sixteen year old 
brother had gone to Nashville with saltpetre. At the time of the outbreak of 
the Indians my father was burning wood to make ashes to procur2 lye, and 
finding Indian signs too thick to remain, it became necessary to return sixty 
miles home to procure aid. He left John and the brother sixteen years old, in 
the cave, where they remained four days concealed from the Indians, until his 
return with six men. He attempted to carry back with him a cow and calf 
and being the only mounted man in the party on the return, he rode in advance 



— 7— 

to clear the way for the wag-on. He stopped once to cut away some saplings 
that were obstructing the road, when the cow and calf went on, passed over a hili; 
going on after them he ciscovered the trail of a lai-ge body of Indians who a few 
minutes before crossed the road and finding the cow and calf, had driven them 
away with them. They were ac once abandoned and it was thought a fortuna,te 
escape. A draft was immediately ordered by the President for men to fight the 
Creeks. My father was drafted by drew out and commenced making up a 
volunteer company. General Jackson went out with sixty days men and fought 
the battles of Talladega, Hickory Ground, Heights of Muckfaw and Muckfaw 
Creek, and fell back, and another diaft was made for four months men for 
rsinforcements. My father was again drafted, and as his company was not 
ready he went out as a volunteer, in the regiment of Colonel Pickard, in the 
brigade of General Cofi'ee. The sixty days men were detained eight days to 
fight the battle of the Horseshoe. The Fort was at the upper end of the heel of 
the Bend. General Jackson went around the Bend and crossed Coosa river 
just above the Falls, guided by James Fife, Chinerly and old Mr. Quarles. 
General Jackson marched down and commenced cannonading the Fort. Gen. 
Coffee went around the Bend to prevent the Indians from crossing the river and 
making their escape. In this battle my father, Drury M.ddleton, participated 
actively, being in the thickest of the fight. Going forward at the command of 
General Coffee, with two men from each company to act as an advance and 
give information of the enemy, he was separated from the main command, and 
remained upon the battle field and fought until he was the last or among the 
last to leave the ground. The line of march was then taken up for home, when 
the men were discharged. 

The first battle fought at New Orleans was on December 23, 1814 at night, 
and of the volunteers from Tennessee, the killed and captured were sixty-three. 
The soldiers on their return from New Orleans were distressed for salt and 
bread, meat being plenty. I rode and carried on a pony, three bushels of 
meal 200 miles, for their relief. 

This much I have thought proper to mention in relation to my ancestry, 
that i; may be seen that I have inherited love of country and devotion to her 
lavv's; and new in the closing years of a long life filled v/ith peril and adventure, 
among scenes wild and civilized, in society of every sort, in peace and in 
danger, I have sought only to be worthy the brave and patriotic men who had 
gone before, and by devotion to my country, uphold ng its laws and advancing 
the best interests of society in endeavoring to sustain its morals and religion, to 
deserve the name I bear. 



-8— 



CHAPTER II. 

I was born January 3, 1808, the son of Drury and Martha M. Mdddleton, 
and on December 15, 1831, was married to Mary Ann Chalk, who was born 
April 12, 1810, in North Carolina, near the mouth of Chowan river. A wife 
faithful and aflFectionate, she performed every duty, professing religion at Mount 
Nebo camp meeting ground in Maury county, Tennessee, she lived religiously 
until called to live with 'the children of God, March 23, 1871. 1 resided in 
Tennessee until the autumn of 1834, when I removed to Marshall county, 
Mississippi, ten miles north of Holly Springs, where, as the proprietor of a 
house of entertainment on the public road, I became known to large numbers 
of people. Losses in business affairs rendering me dissatisfied and desirous to 
try my fortune in a new country, I resolved upon removal, and on the 15.th day 
of June, 1837, I landed with my family, in the Republic of Texas, and settled 
in the county of Shelby. The country was thinly settled and the condition of 
society disagreeable, as there were many settlers who were fugitives from 
justice in the United States. The unsettled political situation of the Republic 
and the nearness of Shelby county to the line of the United States, rendering 
it easy to carry on acts of lawlessness and crime and to con:inue that course of 
conduct which had rendered the perpetrators exiles from the United States 

Harrison and Panola counties join Shelby county, and lie in the north- 
eastern part of the State, contiguous to Louisiana. Settling in Sbalby county, 
I commenced farming, and was soon known to the community as one who 
desired peace, but was always ready to lend my aid tc preserve order and assist 
in the punishment and expulsion of any who were guilty of acts of violence or 
breeches of the law of the .country. 

In Shelby county were two political parties, known as the English and 
Haley parties. They were divided in politics but united in their protection of 
the despei'ado and fugitive from justice. 

I will narrate a few incidents occurring between 1837 and 1840. 

In April, 1837, Amos and Jim Strickland committed the thef: of a store in 
the State of Louisiana and transferred it on horseback to Texas. They were 
so hotly pursued that nearly all the goods were recovered by the owners. In 
1838, Jim Strickland stole a mare from a man named Henry Cannon and being 
seen in possession of it by Ben Odell, the mare was freed and she returned 
to her owner. Strickland denied the theft and afterv/ards killed Odell. 

In 1837, one of the Ar^derson's guarded a large number of horses with their 
bridles aird saddles, stolen in Louisiana and was af'cerwards caught and killed 
in Beechani's field, four miles east of Shelbyville, on the Teneha. 

The county seat of Shelby county was moved from Shelbyville to Center. 

A man named Hillary came the same year to buy land and had with him 
$1,400 in coin, $300 in paper and a suit of clothes in his saddle bags. At San 
Augustine, while he was asleep at the tavern, he was robbed by Willis Watson 



— 9— 

and a man named Mordccai. The men were aiTested and whipped every day 
until a .confession was obtained from Mordecai, but the money was never 
recovered. Willis Watson kept a ferry a mile above Loganspart, on the Sabine 
river, and his place was the headquarters of conterfeiters and despei'ate 
characters. He became so obnoxious to the citizens of Louisiana that a 
number of the citizens of that State went to his place and destroyed it by fire 
in about the winter of 1838. Watson having lost his property left the country. 
He was then out of prison on bail, for an attempt to rob Sanchez, having been 
arrested before by me. The citizens of Louisiana had gone to his place to 
arrest him and his gang, but not finding him destroyed all his property. Had 
he remained his life would have been taken. 



CHAPTER III. 

The Mexicans and Indians came to an understanding in 1838 and rebelled. 
Some of the Mexicans near Nacogdoches raised a difficulty with the Texians 
during the summer, before the preparations were all complete for an attack 
upon the Texians. The Indians held a consultation or council and finding 
themselves not ready, returned to their homes and the Mexicans fled. I took 
my part in the suppression of this attempt at rebellion. An army was raised 
in Texas, with General Rusk in command ; Generals Douglass and McLeod 
also having commands under him. I was a member of the Board of War and 
appointed captain of a company in 1839. 

In 1838, a spy company was I'aised, Geo. Hanks was made Captain and T 
First Lieutenant. In the electioin for'oflficers of this company Willis Watson 
and Shem Harris were candidates and failing, made an effort to rob Sanchez by 
forging bills of sale of his property. The company was on the march when 
information was received of the action of the men Watson and Harris.' I was 
at once detailed to capture them' and with a squad of men rode all night and 
secured the two men before breakfast at Sanchez's house before they got 
possession of the property. Here I waited for Captain Hanks and Lieutenant 
Roberts to com.e, when Captain Timmon's company, from Harrison county and 
Captain Haley, with his company from Shelby county, arrived. The three 
companies were detained here on detached service. I received orders to take 
the prisoners to Nacogdoches. Mayes, a prisoner, through the influence of 
his friends, was released at Sanchez's place and the two men Watson and Harris 
were conveyed to Nacogdo.ches and confined in prison. They gave bond and 
were released. I was then ordered to arrest John Beecham, Jack Crane, Sam 
Bruton and old man Pierce, for appropriating confiscated property. Returning 
to camp I was sent in the direction of Watson's ferry, traveling until late in 
the night, we camped on the road close to the house of old man Pierce, whom we 
arrested at dayligh';. Proceeding we .captured Crane. We then went to 
Bruton's on the Teneha, and he was absent. At Shelbyville we missed taking 



—10— 

Beecham, who made his escape and returned to Kentucky, and remained there 
seven years, leaving his family in Texas. Next day on oUr return march to 
camp we found and arrested Bruton. Reaching camp we found the amay had 
dispersed without fighting, and orders left for us to disband and go home. In 
compliance w'th the opinicn of the majority of the command, the prisoners 
were set free instead of conveying them "to prison in Nacogdoches. I was 
then employed by the government of Texas to return to the owners the horses 
that had been pressed for the use of the army. 

Immediai'ely after this Leonard Mabbit was ordered with a company of 
eighty men to Fort Houston to protect the frontier. The Indians harassed his 
men and attacked his foragers. In one skirmish the rear guard had stopped 
and a little boy son of Mr. Bates, who had been killed at San Augustine, the 
boy acting as courier, were fired upon by the Indians. Some of the men were 
wounded. The boy endeavoring to escape was chased by an Indian. The 
guns of both were empty. The boy getting far enough in advance of the 
Indian, dismounted and commenced loading his gun. The Indian did the 
same, but the boy loading firs':, fired and killed the Indian, and was rewarded 
afterwards for the deed by a grant of 640 acres of land from the Republic of 
Texas, 

A conspiracy having been entered into by the Indians to take Fort Houston 
and massacre the people. Captain Mabbitt notified General Rusk who came at 
once to his relief with what force he could get. Taking the company of 
Mabbitt with him he went to the Kickapoo village, unknown to the Indians, 
who had camped one-half mile from the village on their way to the Fort. Spies 
upon their camp notified General Rusk that they had large fires of greenwood 
and were cooking for the trip. The Indians left and General Rusk .coming on 
camped at their fires. iSupposing the camp to contain only the company of 
Captain Mabbitt, the Indians made an attack, and the firing by the pickets was 
kept up during the night. The Indians had besn joined by forty Mexicans, and 
at daylight approached and attacked the camp. They stood three fii-es, but 
surprised by the presence of General Rusk they rstrea'ed, leaving nine killed, 
and their children and camp equipage were scattered along the line of their 
retreat. Rusk and Mabitt fell back to the Fort and sent for reinforcements, as 
the Indians were making great preparations for another battle. I united myself 
with Captain English's company and marched to Eaton's, where the Indians 
had committed murders. Here we found old Mrs. Eaton and several children 
killed. The house was burned. Old Mrs. Murchison was here killed and her 
body dragged out to near the fence. In looking around tha premises I found 
bloody clothes and a mrsket lying on them. Two daughters of Mr. Eaton, 
both wives of men named Madden had been badly wounded near the house, 
but had made their escape and afterwards recovered. I reported to Colonel 
Landrum what I had found and that while absent I had heard much firing and 
I was sent with a guide and file of men to discover the cause. After my 



—11— 

departure, one of the Maddens, a Mexican and two other men in returning, 
fired off their guns near the house to alarm the Indians and cause them to leave. 
Colonel Landrum hearing the firing and presuming that I was attacked, started 
with his men to my relief and went so far that he could not return the same 
night. I, with my party, went in the direction of the house of a widow and 
arriving there found the house deserted. In the road, near the house, we saw 
tracks of a horse and mule that had been in full run, and concluding from this 
sign that Indians were in our rear, Forsythe and I turned back, when we met 
many of Rusk's men coming up in disorder. We went to General Rusk and 
had a council, when General Rusk sent orders to Colonel Landrum giving 
directions as to his future action. We remained at Eaton's about a week. 
There being too few to maintain a full guard, the sentinels stood at their stations 
the full time without relief. I took my own station at a point I believed to be 
the most liable to attack by the savages. It was in thick timber, and when all 
was still I heard an Indian cross the field fence within fifty or sixty yards of my 
position. The night was starlight, too dark to distinguish any.thing clearly, 
and I could only discover his movements by the sound of his footsteps in the 
leaves. He went to a tree about one hundred yards from the fence, stopped, 
then another crossed the fence, then the first advanced and the second at the 
same time moved up and took the position vacated by the first, each getting to 
his position about the same time. When the two made a stop a third crossed 
the fence and all three commenced walking. I could hear them distinctly. 
The Indian in front was going in the directioin of the post occupied by Lieut. 
Dick English. When he had approached very near, Lieutenant English called 
to one Hoof, sergeant of the guard, to come to his relief as he was very cold. 
This gave the alarm to the enemy and they were seen or heard no more that 
night. 



CHAPTER IV. 

We now moved down to Murchison's and remained there about a week and 
occupied the time in scouting for Indians but we found none. We were here 
joined by Gen. Felix Houston and staff, who remained with us during the balance 
of our time in the field. We next took up the march to Neches Saline, and on 
the way were joined by Gen. Rusk with his command. The Indians made their 
headquarters five miles south of Neches Saline, and had killed, robbed and 
taken prisoners many persons. We had reached vdthin a few miles of the Saline 
and were preparing to camp when our spies gave information of the Indians at 
the Saline. We formed line of battle eight deep and hurried to the Saline and 
attacked the Indians. Before the presence of the Indians was reported to 
us two of our men killed an Indian boy and a leading Indian called Captain 
Jack. The Indians retreated immediately upon the arrival of the main body of 
our army. A few (5) Indians were killed in skirmishes with our spies. No 



—12— 

general battle tock place. Another party of Indians visited Martin's on Tram- 
mel's Trace, between the Saline and Sabine. Their sign had been dis,covered in 
the evening, and the dogs of the neighborhood gave notice of their presence. 
Many signal smokes were seen; the Indians were numerous and their yells could 
be heard all around us. I was selected to stand guard nearest the enemy 
and my counsel was followed in the arrangement of the guard. Martin 
had moved his family and was preparing to take away his moveable pro- 
perty, and in company with a man named Davis, he went during the night a 
mile from the house to watch for Indians. Immediately upon their return Davis 
went to the door of the house to ascertain the cause of the barking of the dogs, 
when he was shot by an Indian. He crawled under the floor of the house, died 
there, and was not discovered by the savages. The Indians then attacked the 
house and fired into a back room occupied at the time by a man named May, 
his wife and child. May ran and was wounded in the shoulder; his wife hid 
herself and child in the room and were not disccvered, although the child was 
slightly wounded. David Brown, the surveyor, was in the house, and ran, leav- 
ing his instruments, saddle-bags and horse; the Indians carried them off. Margin 
loaded his wagon to leave, and while loading set a tin box containing his money 
on the top of the goods in the wagon, it was stolen by May's wife and never 
recovered. The Indians made a rapid retreat to Neches Saline. 

One morning, when the Texian armj' was in .camp at Bard's some twelve 
or fifteen boys about sixteen years of age, went tinurmcd with their horses about 
two hundred vards to water; they discovered the Indians and immediately raised 
a wild yell and charged them; the Indians ran and in their flight dropped Davis' 
hat. Col. Landrum sent a scout after the Indians who were not overtaken, but 
pursued so closely that Brown's surveying instruments, &c., were recovered. 

We moved from our camp, and as the spies were unsuccessful in finding the 
camp of the Indians, one hundred men were sent out to make the discovery, 
which they did in a very short time. The Indian camp consisted of seventeen 
lodges, constructed cf palmetto, well fitted for winter protection, and they had in 
store some seventy-five or eighty bushels of shelled corn. Upon our return a 
squad of men was detailed to go to Keeler and Williams', where a late massacre 
had been committed, and bury the dead. It was fifteen miles from where we 
were, and although I was not well, I went on the expedition, leaving a man 
from Nacogdoches county named Stephens to occupy my place as captain of the 
scout. Our quartermaster. Dr. Cannon, accompanied me. Arriving at the scene 
of the murders we found two members of the Williams family dead and two of 
the family of Keeler. Indian sign was thick and fresh. The dead were found 
and placed in boxes and we returned to our camp. Here we found everything 
in disorder; Stephens permitting the men to do as they pleased and during our 
absence had accomplished nothing. I resumed command of the scout. We 
then buried the dead and from that place went to Keeler's and found all gone. 
We then proceeded to Still's for informaMon; unable to ascertain anything posi- 



—13— 

tively we returned to the carap of the main army, only to find it deserted and the 
army removed twelve miles, and to reach it occupied us until late in the night. 
The next day we returned to Shelby ville, having received furloughs for fourteen 
days. 

Having received information that the Indians had separated and that the 
Caddos had gone to Soda Lake, fifteen miles from Shreveport, in Louisiana. 
Col. Landrum and Gen. Rusk, with their commands, went to that place, but the 
Indians retreated to Shreveport and nothing was done. This action of Landi'um 
and Rusk — pursuing the enemy upon the soil of the United States — was report- 
ed to the authorities in Washington, when Gen. Gaines of the U. S. Army was 
ordered to return to Fort Jessup, in Louisiana, and the Caddo Indians received 
orders to leave the United States. They retired to Mexico where they remained 
until the war took place between that country and the United States, when they 
went to Western Texas, and uniting vdth remnants of other tribes, settled upon 
a reservation granted them by the United States. 

In 1838 Henry Cannon, a citizen of Shelby county, owned a fine mare which 
was stolen by Jim Strickland, who started to return with her by a trail not much 
known or traveled, between the flat fork of the Teneha and Sabine river. Ben 
Odell, happening to be traveling on the same trail, met Strickland and recognized 
the mare. As he was unfriendly to Strickland and going in the direction of 
Cannon's it was suspected by Strickland that Odell would give information, and 
the mare was turned loose and she returued to Cannon's shortly after Odell's 
arrival there. Cannon had been enformed by Odell that Strickland was in pos- 
session of his mare, and he (Strickland) learning the fact, threatened the life of 
Odell. Soon after a dinner was given to the citizens of Shelby county by one 
of the candidates for the place of representative in the Texas Congress. Strick- 
land with his friends, on the way to it, were met by Odell, who made his escape 
by running. On his retreat he met with Forsythe and party, who were opposed 
to Strickland, by them he was supplied with a pistol and induced to return. 
Supper over, and the night coming on, dancing commenced. Strickland and 
Odell went on the floor to dance at the same time, and both intended shooting 
as they passed, each having his pistol against the other. Odell's pistol missed 
fire. Strickland's fired, and Odell, after receiving the wound, knocked Strick- 
land down with iiis fist. Odell died next morning. Strickland was arrested, 
and there being no jail, gave bond for his appearance at the next term of the 
District Court. The trial was brought at a time when the best citizens of Shelby 
county were absent, called away by the Kickapoo war. Three freebooters, Bog- 
gess, Thorr.as and Dr. Rowan, arrested for counterfeiting, were to be tried at the 
same term of the court, and by a combination of the friends of all these parties, 
the whole of them were acquitted. 

"The four assassins hired at Austin to go to Shelby county and murder 
seventeen men, were Seekers. Wm. Wells, York and Hines, and employed by 
Jno. N. Bradley and Jno. Haley. They came and commenced opei-ations. Jim 
Hall offered six hundred dollars to them to kill Henry Reynolds, &c." 



—14— 

CHAPTER V. 

In the summer of 1839 the Cherokees became hostile and resolved to fight. 
The army was called out and I was appointed a member of the board of war. 
I received a commission as captain and orders to raise a company, guard the 
Sabine river from Logansport to Trammel's Trace and to prevent the Cherokees 
from being supplied with arms and ammunition by other Indians and Mexicans. 
I was also appointed Commissioner for Shelby county, to take charge of all con- 
fiscated property, prevent its removal or destruction and turn it over to the gov- 
ernment of Texas. I had only ten men. I placed eight on the road from Lo- 
gansport to Nacogdoches, and taking Josh English and John May, went to Tram- 
mel's Trace to make observations. On the way I met with a man named Rob- 
ertson. This man had joined the Mexicans in the rebellion with the hope of 
obtaining office. Failing to obtain promotion he became dissatisfied and made 
his escape. Knowing the plans of the Mexicans and their conspiracies with the 
Indians and their intention to raid upon the Texan people, he communicated the 
information to General Burleson, who at once followed the Mexicans from whom 
Robertson had deserted and killed them all, and from the information of Robert- 
son was enabled to overtake Juan Flores, who was coming with nine mule-loads 
of presents for the Indians. The band was attacked, all killed and the train 
captured. Robertson proved of great assistance as a spy, being acquainted 
with the language of the different tribes of Indians and thus able to go among 
them and learn their numbers and intentions. He rendered effective service by 
going among the Cherokees, learning their designs and reporting them, the 
night before the battle in which Chief Bowles was killed. After this Robertson 
went to his home in Shelby county, to visit his family, his residence being in the 
neighborhood where the Strickland's lived. Here he was set upon by his 
enemies, the Strickland's and others with whom he had previously had 
difficulties, and brutally murdered. As soon as I was informed of the affair I 
returned, recovered his property and delivered it to his family. Robertson's 
body had been buried by Colonel Straw before my arrival. When the army 
returned and Henry Strickland found what had been done, he declared his 
intention to kill me and came armed to the house of Josh English where I was. 
I was engaged in hauling corn and while unloading the wagon Strickland and 
English entered into conversation at the fence, near me. I was apprehensive 
of an attack, but time passed and I was not molested, and not again disturbed 
by this man. Finally he was killed in a personal difficulty with one Shoemaker. 



—15— 

CHAPTER VI. 

With these adventures and troubles with the Mexicans and Indians, nothing 
more transpired to call us fi^om home until the disturbances in Shelby, Panola 
and Harrison counties, which created great excitement at the time and have 
become a part of the history of Texas. Authors of Texian history have, in 
some instances passed them over almost without notice. By others mention 
has been made of them in such manner as to give a wrong color and others 
have made statements inconsistent with the facts, and in no instance has a 
complete, full and fair statement been made of the whole matter. And as one 
of the principal actors in the scenes and as my memory is vivid as to all the 
transactions, I have seen proper to recount them, and where any statement of 
mine may seen doubtful or be disputed, there are living witnesses of high 
character and standing in Texas, to whom I shall refer, if necessary, to sustain 
my every assertion. 

In 1838, two men, large traders, by the name of Rathburn, from Buffalo, 
New York, had been swindled, by some company there, out of a for une. The 
estate had been obtained through the wife of the younger of the two men, and 
he came to Texas to secure what remained to his family. He made a confiden- 
tial friend of Seth Shelton and placed the property in his hands, consisting in 
negroes, money and whatever else he had brought to Texas. He came to Texas 
under the name of Brewster, and in company with a young man named McLure 
and John McKinney, who were privy to the contract with Shelton. E. M. 
Dagget, of Fort Worth and others, came to Texas in the same company. 
Brewster bought a large quanity of land, was taken sick and died at Shelton's 
Shelton determined to secure this property for himself. McLure and McKinney 
were the only persons who could identify the property of Brewster, and to 
secure his object the witnesses must be removed, and so both were killed by 
The killing of McLure took place as follows: He was clerking in a store 
on the Sabine river, the two men went there and raised a difficulty with him, 
not getting any advantage of him on that day. Next day they returned to the 
store and entered in seeming good humor, laughing and talking; McLure had 
his gun in his hand, but thrown off his guard by their conduct, set it down, 
when McFadgin sprang to one side, revealing Jim Strickland, who instantly 
fired, killing McLure befoae he could recover his weapon. They then defied the 
law and resisted arrest. 

About this time a difficulty arose between Jo Goodbread and Charles W. 
Jackson. Goodbread had been waylaying Jackson. After this they met in 
Shelbyville, when the trouble was renewed and Jackson fired and killed Good- 
bread. Jackson surrendered to the authorities, moved his trial to Panola county 
and was acquitted. V/hen he went to Panola a crowd also went for the purpose 
of assassinating him, but his guard was too great and the effort was a failure 
The men who had gone with and protected Jackson, then went to the houses of 
Strickland and McFadgin, and not being able to capture the men, as they were 
absent, they removed the furniture from the houses and destroyed them by fire. 



—16— 

The session of the District Court held at this time in Panola county by 
Judge Hansford was adjourned in consequence of the imminent danger arising 
from the presence of these two parties. It was after this time the' trial and 
acquittal of Jackson took place. 

An old mafi by the name of Carr was a resident of the county. He was a 
Mexican and had two sons-in-law, who were white men — Stockman and Norris. 
Carr had befriended the whites and rendered his full share of assistance in 
every disturbance with the Indians and Mexicans. He had large property in 
cattle, horses, &c, and the Freebooters stole a number of his horses and mules. 
At a public dinner, given by Charles Jackson for the purpose of assembling the 
people and making an effort to recover the stolen property, a' company of 
sixty-three men was made and a day appointed for the meeting of the company, 
but only twenty-three men came and they went in pursuit. A man called 
'Squire Humphreys was caught and whipped and part of the horses and mules 
recovered. The Freebooters now met and organized by the election of officers. 
Ned Merchant was elected captain, and one Judge Hawkins being called upon, 
gave them the name of Moderators. They watched for an opportunity to kill 
Jackson. As he was going from Shelbyville to Logansport he was met about 
12 M. by Jonathan McFadgin and soon after by Berry Merchant, who gave 
information to Ned Merchant who raised a company of fifty-five men and went 
after him. Two days before M. F. Roberts and Emory Raines, candidates for 
representatives in the Texas Congress, addressed the people and passed the 
night at my house. Raines was uneasy that night and wished to see McFadgin 
and Strickland and offered to go to Josh English's, but was persuaded to remain. 
Next niorning very early he went to English's. There he met in caucus with 
Jack Crane, 'Squire Humphreys, Jim Strickland, Harry Strickland, Bill Baily, 

John McFadgin, Sam Todd and Bledsoe. They went to Logansport and 

waylaid Jackson. The party took three stands and placed themselves at the 
forks of the road between Shelbyville and Nacogdoches. A peaceable, quiet 
Dutchman, by the name of Lower, was in company with Jackson, and on 
account of his presence, the first stand yvas passed. As they approached the 
second Lower was shot and Jackson ran, but was fired upon and killed. This 
took place in 1841. As soon as Merchant arrived at English's, Raines, 
Merchant and the company of fifty-five men went to McFadgin's and gtiarded 
the place to protect the men who had killed Jackson and Lower. They hid 
themselves in a thicket and signified their wants or danger of discovery by, 
signals. 

At this time the Sheriff of Shelby county fearing danger to his life, want 
to Nacogdoches and remained two or three months, and I received an appoint- 
ment as his deputy. I had made an ax'rangement to exchange lands with John 
H. Martin, and it became necessary for me to go to King's Fork of the East 
Trinity river to examine the land, and the trip I was about to make becoming 
known, a plan was laid to waylay me. I had but just received warning of my 
danger when I was called upon and authorized to make the arrest of Bill, John 



—17— 

and Baily McFadgin, who were moving away Avith their families. Bledsoe was 
with them. I v,as accompanied by nine men, under my command: Col. Wat 
Morman, Col. Jno. E. Myrick, Tom Josy, Sam Wallace, Frank Hooper, Monroe 
Hooper, James Vaughan and Lee Truitt. We started in pursuit but had to 
take a circuitous route to avoid the clan. We went across the Neches and in 
the direction of Crockett. We surprised Strickland in his camp near the 
residence of "One Eyed Williams," twenty-five miles north of Crockett, but he 
made his escape in a thicket. In the latter part of the night we heard signals 
in the thicket and at the camp. Strickland did not return to the wagon and we 
rode to the camp and gave orders to Smith, the driver of the team, to leave, 
which he did, and the team was afterwards driven by the woman. We went 
on to Allbiight's and stopped for supper and to feed our horses. While there 
Williams and Strickland came up. The alarm was given and they turned to 
run and were fired upon by Colonel Myrick. Strickland was wounded by one 
shot in the shoulder and a finger cut. At the fire of the gun Strickland ran 
over Williams, who lost his gun. Williams hid himself in a ditch where we 
found and arrested him, but Strickland made his escape, by lying upon the side 
of his horse as he ran around the lots. This occurred just as the moon was 
rising. Strickland threw away his gun and I found it and also found the gun 
belonging to Williams. We took Williams in charge and induced him to give 
us information in regard to the MicFadgins and to guide us to where they were. 
Under his lead we found and arrested the McFadgins. We found them a mile 
south of the town of Montgomery at the house of Alex. Whittaker. We lefc 
Williams in charge of the horses and surrounded the house. MicNeil, sheriflf 
of the county was living there, and at the time in bed with John McFadgin. 
When I went around the house I found it barred up. Baily and Bill McFadgin 
were also in the house. Bill having a few minutes before ran and closed up the 
door. I found a window unfastened, but before I could get it open it was 
latched against me. At this time McNeil came to me, told who he was and 
offered his services to get a guard and assist in the arrest. We went to the 
town of Montgomery to get the necessary authority from the Justice of the 
Peace and were delayed by the absence of the Justice. During our absence 
Bledsoe came up in company with Bowlin; on discovering him, Myrick and 
Frank Hooper ordered him to halt and surrender, when he sprang upon them 
both and came near wresting their guns from them; in the melee Myricks gun 
was broken and Hooper shot Bledsoe, but did no serious injury. Bledsoe had 
taken Hooper's gun from him and was in the act of striking him with it, when 
Myrick again fired and slightly wounded Bledsoe. He was then shot and killed 
by Jim Vaughan. The McFadgins in the house were now called upon to 
surrender, and after some consultation, they complied upon the understanding 
that they wei-e to be taken safely to Shelby county and tried by the citizens, a 
majority to rule, and they were not to be rescued or make any effort at escape 
They were then taken into custody. 



—18— 

CHAPTER VII. 

On our way to this place, where the capture was made, we found an entire 
captain's company assembled to protect these men, but we passed through their 
ranks, and by our rapid movements and silence so confused them that we were 
suffered to pass and get entirely clear without molestation. We stai-ted on our 
return, and 'arriving in the town of Crockett, found that Strickland had procured 
a wi-it to be issued and placed in the hands of the sheriff for the arrest of 
Morman, myself and three others, who were not with us, but supposed to be 
part of our posse. The sheriff commenced summoning a body of men to assist 
in our apprehension, but on proper representations from a man acquainted with 
us, came alone to us, told his business, when we surrendered to him and 
returned into the town of Crockett. We sent an officer with a writ for the arrest 
of Jim Strickland, who was six miles from town. The town was full of people. 
We exhibited our authority to them and told our business, but we found a large 
majority opposed to us — only about one-fourth being in our favor. One 
Josephus Moore attempted to create the impression that he was our friend, but 
after looking well at him, I decided that he could not be depended upon. A 
trial was demanded at once and without waiting for the man, Strickland, who 
had caused our detention. During the progress of the trial I observed that a 
great many guns were brought up to the room in which the trial was had, and 
afterwards learned that an effort was to be made there to take my life. A diffi- 
culty was to have been commenced and twenty-four guns were ready to be used 
against me alone. As I left the room I was accosted by a man whose 
business it was to begin or bring on the difficulty. Col. Morman drew his atten- 
tion from me, and I was then accosted by a man named Clapp. These men, 
leaving us, ran across the street to Moor's tavern, and I mounted my horse stand- 
ing at the door, and here also were my prisoners and guard, and by a concerted 
movement we wheeled our horses and placed the prisoners between us and the 
tavern where their friends were stationed, and went rapidly out of town. Imme. 
diately a crowd of sixty men assembled and followed, but v/e traveled faster than 
they; they continued in pursuit until they reached the residence of one-eyed 
Williams, twenty-five miles, where they supposed we would stop for the night 
and being informed by him that we had passed that place some hours before, 
they turned back. We camped that night thirty-nine miles from Crockett, on 
our return to Shelby county. We met with no more trouble, and on my arrival 
I sent out five men to notify the people to be in Shelbyville on the ensuing Sat- 
erday at twelve o'clock, M. Next morning we went to the widow Moore's for 
breakfast, when we were visited by many citizens, and there being men enough 
to relieve the old guard, the prisoners were placed under their charge, and we 
were advised to take our needed rest. The new guard becoming careless and 
too confident, presented an opportunity and John McFadgin attempted to make 
his escape, and ran some distance, but I overtook him in the bed of a branch 
near by and brought him back. Again Bill McFadgin seeing what he supposed 



—19— 

a chance to get away, relieved himself of his chains and ran, and after a lively 
chase through the cane and timber, finding it impossible to escape his pursuers, 
surrendered. We started to Shelbyville and on the way were met by a company 
of one hundred and seventy-three men who formed our escort to town. 
The prisoners were carried to the town of Shelbyville, and there, on 
Saturday at 12 o'clock, M. the citizens met in the Court House for their trial, 
it being the 9th day of October, 1841. Previous to this time, at the re-capture 
of the two men, they made full confession, and the third did the same, each con- 
fessing in the absence of the others and ignorant of what had been said by them. 
Each made the same statement and narrated all the circumstances of the killing 
of Jackson and Lower, and these confessions were afterwards repeatedly con- 
firmed by them. On this testimony the citizens acted, and upon taking the vote 
one hundred and seventy-four were found to have voted for their execution and 
none against it. The men were then taken out and two of them executed, the 
third and youngest was spared upon his promise of reform and the earnest plead- 
ing of Henry Reynolds, a citizen, whose sympathy was strongly excited. With 
this for a time ended excitement, but in the spring following, that is to say about 
March, 1842, the old troubles were revived by the return of some of the members 
of the old gang and their waylaying citizens upon the public roads and in the 
woods. Long and persistent efforts to catch me at disadvantage had been made 
by Jim Strickland, Henry Strickland, Farrar Metcalf, Jack Crane, John Heath 
and three others whose names T never learned, and at last, on the morning of 
the 26th of March, 1842 I went into the woods near my house looking for my 
horses, and before I had intimation of the presence of any one, or just at the 
moment I discovered these men, who had concealed themselves here in the 
woods to deprive me of life, I was fired upon by two shots at once; three balls 
entered my hip, two struck my hand, and one striking the powder horn at my 
side and going through that gave me a flesh wound. Other balls pierced my 
clothing in different places. I turned and walking a few steps was again fired 
upon by two persons. I cannot tell at what time any of the wounds were received 
except the one in the hip, which was given me at the first fire. The assassins 
then ran and I went to my house, which was at no great distance, without falling 
or giving way to weakness; finding my wife gone in search of me I went 
to look for her; we soon met and returned home. I then went over to the 
residence of Nathan Matthews about a mile. I remained there two or three 
days. Immediately after my arrival at Matthews' information of the occurence 
was sent over the county, and before night fifty men had assembled armed and 
proceeded to look for the perpetrators. Jack Crane was arrested and brought 
into my presence by Elijah Roberts, a son of Moses F. Roberts, whose energy 
and activity aided materially in the support of law and order. 

I will here state that the night before the shooting I had a remarkable 
dream by which I was warned of what was about to occur. I saw lovely persons 
surrounding and protecting me and singing the hymn "How firm a foundation;" 
I joined in the singing. Other hymns were sung, and the last one sung by us 



—20— 

was "Through the deep waters I call thee to go." After the singing the appari- 
tion disappeared, and then the dream revealed parties firing upon me, and the 
firing was from exactly the same direction that it afterwards took place. I 
dreamed that the balls struck me in exactly the same place that I was struck 
afterwards. Many years before, that is in the year 1829, while I lived in Ten- 
nessee, long before I had any design of removing to Texas, I had the same dream 
precisely. To me these seemed supernatural warnings and had their effect upon 
my mind. Whether or not there is anything in dreams I could not help regard- 
ing mine as peculiar and strange, and when I heard the click of the gun locks 
as they prepared to fire, I looked in the direction indicated by the visions and 
distinctly saw the parties as they fired. I did not permit my wounds to keep me 
long confined to the house, and on the fifth day I was on horseback and rode in 
a dark and stormy night fourteen miles in search of the men who attempted my 
life. I soon after fell sick and it being dangerous and inconvenient for me to 
remain at my residence, I went to Louisiana to the house of Wm. White, my 
brother-in-law, on Wallace's bayou, fifteen miles below Shreveport, and remained 
five weeks. I started back home and at Logansport remained one night to avoid 
another gang lying by the wayside to attack me. I reached home safely. The 
day after my arrival I received the most welcome information that Jim Strickland 
and Farrar Metcalf had both been lately killed in Louisiana for negro stealing. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

In 1841, John M. Bradley and John Haley, both residents of Shelby county, 
went to Austin and there hired four men, viz: Seekers, Wills, York and Hines 
to go to Shelby county and kill seventeen men, and those the most prominent in 
the county. For tlie life of Henry Reynolds they were to receive six hundred 
dollars. This money was to be paid by Jim Hail, and he furnished a gun for 
the purpose. Bradley also supplied a gun. In pursuance of this object, 
Reynolds was visited by Seekers and Hines, who remained one night at his 
house. The evening was passed in conversation, and a favorable impression 
was made by Reynolds upon Hines, who when they had retired, informed 
Seekers that he had found Reynolds a good man, different froni what had been 
represented and that he would have nothing to do with his mui'der, and he drevv- 
out of the gang. Hines was never after heard of. After this Seekers and Welh 
went to Reynolds' "house designing to commit the deed, but learning that Rey- 
nolds was going to Shreveport with cotton, the commission of the act was post 
poned. At each visit to the house of Reynolds these men represented themselves 
as horse hunters. In a few days after the last visit, Reynolds with one of hi: 
sons and a negro boy, started to Shreveport with his cotton, and stopped to 
camp about fifteen miles from his home. While arranging for the night, the 
two- men, Seekers and Wells, passed and were recognized by Reynolds' son, 
who informed his father that they were the men who had been to his house 
horse-iiunting. Reynolds called to them and asked if they had found their 



—21— 

hoi'ses, when they rode back and commenced talkin,^. Reynolds was lying at 
the foot of a post oak resting- his elbow on the ground. Seekers sat on his 
horse with the muzzle of his gun pointing at Reynolds. After conversing a 
shoi-t time he said they must ride on to reach some place to stay that night and 
at the same time, reining his horse around, fired, shooting Reynolds through the 
left breast, killing him instantly. Seekers and Wills then ran. In running, 
Wills' horse struck a tree, knocking him off and losing his gun, and there they 
separated. On information of the death of Reynolds the trail was taken next 
morning by Steve Reynolds, Frank Hooper, David Winburn and another. Wills' 
gun was found and his trail followed to Louts', in the dii'ecfion of Natchitoches 
about twenty-five miles from the place of muraer. Here Wills was found, and 
after some demonstrations of resistance on his part, he surrendered. He was 
taken to Matthew Brinson's four miles east of Shelbyville, and there the guard 
was increased to twelve men. Parson Blackburn v%tis employed to erect a gal- 
lows on the square in the town, and the. next day the prisoner was conveyed to 
the place of execution. He made a full confession of the crime, who had em- 
ployed the gang, and what pay was to be received. After which the execution 
took place in the presence of a large crowd. Nothing definite was ever after 
learned of the man Seekers. Hall's gun was recovered, having been pawned 
to pay the ferriage of Seekers across the Sabine. 

A wi'it for the arrest of the twelve men who had execu.ed Wills was caused 
to be issued by John M. Bradley and John Doyle. The writ was placed in the 
hands of Llewellin the sheriff and his deputy Jeff Cravens. They summoned 
three hundred men to their assistance and went into camp. The twelve refused 
to be arrested, but said they would at;end the District Court and submit. The 
fi'iends of the twelve men sustained them in their decision, and in two days 
enough men were gathered for their protection, and the sheriff was then notified 
that they were ready, and if a fight was desired they were prepared. An armis- 
tice of two days was obtained by the Sheriff, and during that time an agreement 
was entered into that a committee of twenty-four men should decide the matters 
of difference between the parties, and that the committee should be composed of 
men belonging equally to both parties, that is to say, twelve men from each sids. 
They met and after deliberation rendered their decision that the Sheriff Llewellin 
and his deputy, together with twenty-three others of the most prominent of tha; 
party were to leave the Republic and never become citizens again. They were 
given two months to wind up their business and permitted to return temporarily 
on business matters, but could not become citizens. Messengers were sent to 
notify them. These were often attacked, some wounded and some had their horses 
killed. Instead of leaving the Republic, as they were directed, these men went 
to work to raise forces, and at the expiration of the two months they were ready 
to commence fighting. It was planned that at the same hour of the night, seven- 
teen citizens, who had been selected, were to be killed, and afterwards the mem- 
bers of the commitee were to be disposed of in the same way. To raise their 



—22— 

men they had sent to Arkansas and Louisiana. A company of Arkansas men 
were camped six miles from me, on what was known as the Rogue's Trail. 
They were to kill me and Howell Hudson. A friend of Hudson named Elijah 
Morris gave him information two days before of what was to be done and ad- 
vised him to leave. Hudson then saw Stiles and talked with him on the subject. 
Stiles went into the camp and there learned that the information was correct. 
Next night Stiles, Howell, Hudson, Peter Hudson, Washington Hooper, Daniel 
Wiseman and Dick Harding came to my house and took me away. I had a 
rising on my hip from my wounds and unable to travel without help. They 
placed me on the road to intercept the spy of the moderators that night, but he 
never came. The track of the horse belonging to this spy was seen near the 
house of every man who had been selected by the moderators to be killed, but 
the name of the spy, or who he was, was never discovered. 

My family left home that night. The gang came and broke open the doors; 
finding no one they became alarmed and went into the Teneha swamp. They 
got into the edge of the cane at the flat fork of the Teneha, and as day came the 
order was "a little further into the cane," and they edged and pushed each other 
until Jonas English and John Mays fell into a deep hole of water in the creek. 
They kept in the swamp and nothing was heard of them for two weeks/. The 
night they sought me they went after others, but failed in every instance. Squads 
were near the house of every marked man at the same hour of the same night, 
in pursuance of the original design, to murder all the selected men at the same 
moment, but they failed in every instance. Then all got together, two hundred 
strong, armed and fully equipped, and charged into the town of Shelbyville 
making all the show and intimidation they could. They swore to kill the com- 
mittee first, sent Alfred Truit to Louis Watkins' to kill him; the mouth of his 
lane towards town was waylaid with thirty-three men. Watkins started to town 
and before he got throngh the lane was shot and fell from his horse. News of 
this went out, and next morning thirty-five or forty men had assembled at Jerry 
Beecham's, three miles northwest of town. With these thirty-five or forty men 
were E. M. and Chas. Daggett, Joe Smith, ex-sheriff of Shelby county, John and 
FYank Farrar, Jim Graham, Geo. Sandford and others. Those who arrived 
during the night had built a fire near a log left from making boards, hearing the 
approach of some one Capt. Joe Smith and John Farrar jumped upon the log to 
look out, and in endeavoring to recover their lost balance, the hammer of a gun 
in the hands of one of them struck the ripping machine and fired, the ball going 
through the hand of Smith and breaking Farrar's arm; thus was lost the services 
of two good men. About nine o'clock a m. of the following day they were here 
attacked on two sides by the two hundred men, and the fight was maintained all 
day. The attack was made on the east and west sides. 



—23— 

CHAPTER IX. 

The thirty-five or forty men were called regulators; they were protected by 
an unfinished house and a yard fence. Over this fence on the west side was 
leaning the planks to put on the house, and these supplied some protection. In 
this fight the casualties were, Bill Hansbury, moderator, killed; Wm. Price, 
shot in the mouth; Jim Graham, regulator, shot in the mouth; Geo. Sanford, 
arm broke; Eph M. Dagget had his pants cut, but was unhurt. The regulators 
sent for me, and I gathered the men around me and went next day. Richard 
Stiles, Howell Hudson, Peter Hudson, Washington Hooper and Jackson White 
went with us, and on our way we were joined by Mint Truitt and Bob McNairy. 
When we got near the place, the two boys, Truit and McNairy, went to the 
battle ground and to Beecham's house to get information. At the house they 
found Jas. Graham wounded and under the care of Dr. Davenport. In the 
yard they saw Ned and Berry Merchant, who cocked their guns, as if intending 
to shoot them. McNairy stepped into the house and cocked his gun, but 
through the advice of Dr. Davenport, he laid aside the gun and appeared not 
to see the two men, went whistling through the house, went into the cotton 
field and reaching his horse in safety, came back to me. We were eating break- 
fast, and some of our party going after water discovered a spy in the bed 
of the creek. We moved from the place at once and learned that the 
moderators were there, but that the regulators had gone ten miles off to C. T. 
Hilliard's. The Merchants, as soon as McNairy left, went to the camp of the 
moderators and started the spy company after me, presuming me to be in the 
neighborhood. When we left the place, we separated, each one taking his way 
through the woods, to leave as little sign as possible. Truitt could find no trail 
by which to follow, and was compelled to "circle" to reach us. The first house 
we reached was situated inside a corn field; two horses were tied to the fence, 
and Truitt and McNairy going in to see, discovered two men of Alfred Truitt's 
spy company. They returned and reported, and we went around the swamp 
side of the field and found our men, the regulators, without further hindrance. 
On the upper side of this field thirty-one men were stationed, and had we 
gone on that side, as some wished, we would have been captured. 

During the fight at Beecham's the regulators deceived the moderators by 
falling at every fire, and believing they had killed many, so reported, and were 
enabled to procure le-inforcements until they soon numbered 230 strong. 

The whole force of moderators now went into the neighborhood of my 
residence and searched the whole country for me. We had ladies out all the 
time acting as spies for us, watching the movements of the moderators. These 
ladies were Mrs. M. T. J. Johnson, Helen Daggett, Elizabeth White and Mrs. 
Nathan Matthews. The moderators then moved up to Dave Strickland's, four 
miles south of Hilliards. Wie found they were there, and being scarce of 
ammunition had sent for more, but concluded to go and fight them with what 
we had. This was in 1842. The moderators occupied a school house of logs 



—24— 

on a ridge, between two small streams; their fires, cooking appai'atus, &c., were 
south of the school house. Our forces amounting, as I facetiously called it, to 
one hundred and enough, were divided into three companies, twenty-eight men 
under M. T. Johnson, acting as cavalry; these men formed a select body whose 
lives were in danger. Captain George Davidson and Lieutenant Boulware 
commanded a company from Harrilson county and John Inman was in 
comm.and of the company from Shelby county. Johnson went around on the 
south side to attack as cavalry and the other two companies being misled 
by the guide, were three-quarters of a mile distant when the attack was made 
by Johnson. They came up in a run, and were much heated and fatigued, 
as it was in the month of August or September; they formed on the north and 
west side. Capt. Davidson mistaking a company of moderators for Johnson's 
company, and demanding who they were, were fired upon and killed without 
receiving any reply. The two Daggett's, E. M. and Charles, were in the lead 
when they ran into the moderators, and discovering where they were they threw 
Andy Truitt, a moderator, into a whole of water, and escaped during the 
excitement. Johnson was to hold the ground on the south and east. The 
battle began after 12 m., Johnson firing the first gun, the ball from which 
struck the meat in a man's hand as he was in the act of biting. Out 
coming up was unexpected but the firing soon became general. The 
action continued about four hours. It ceased and Colonel Straw was sent 
around to draw us off and take care of the wounded and dead. We were again 
fired upon, but no one was hurt, and we marched on. Johnson was ordered 
back to our breastworks and fortifications at Hilliard's: the balance of the 
command were to follow, but finding no one had molested them, and expecting 
to be pursued, we went back on the road and stationed ourselves in ambush 
We drew off the evening before to obtain more ammunition, and found that it 
had arrived. We camped next night, or rather took our stand at the edge of a 
prairie near by, and in hearing of the moderators, and until 11 o'.clock p. m. we 
continually heard groans and lamentations, and during that night they retired 
four miles below. Tom Haley commanded them during the battle and his 
voice could be continually heard giving orders. Wm. Nail and a crowd with 
him, becoming freightened, left their guns and running off, hid themselves. 
They did not get back to their men until 11 a. m. the next day. Of the 
moderators no certain information was received of the killed and wounded, 
although sixteen were acknowledged killed and twenty-five were known to have 
been wounded. The regulators had one, George Davidson, killed dead; two 
wounde'd, Howell Hudson and Kane, who died afterwards. After the battle at 
Hilliard's we moved five miles below Shelbyville, to the camp ground. The 
moderators intended going to the same place, but finding it occupied by us, 
made their stand in a field at the town of Shelbyville. We went before day, 
with one hundred men to attack them, and to cut off a new spy company they 
had raised and under the command of Richard Haley, then out foraging. We 
formed our men into three divisions; one under Boulware, on the Natchitoches 



—25— 

road ; another on the San Augustine road under Colonel Morman, and the 
other under Sandford on the Sand Hill road. Our horses were left tied in the 
head of a hollow, about one*-half mile from Morman's, on the San Augustine 
road. Where Morman was placed, about one-half mile from Shelbyville, 
the young- pines were too thick to see any distance ; the orders were to 
wait until the foremost men reached Morman and then all to fire on the 
line of men who would be in ten feet of them. They came along; Morman's 
gun failed to fire and the next man took his place. Haley's gun was struck in 
the lock and fired by the shot, and Haley lost his hat. When Lieut. Boulware 
crossed the road he got Haley's hat. New blankets and provisions were 
scattered in the road. The company then fired into the line and the 
moderators ran. They went in the direction of Sandford's company, except 
Haley, who ran straight on into Shelbyville. Sanford's guns missed fire 
and the moderators scattered and went to their main body. The 
regulators I'etired to their horses, sent information back to the command and 
waited for re-inforcements, expecting an attack, but no attack was made as the 
moderators went into the Teneha swamp to make their escape. The number 
killed and wounded in this affair was never ascertained. This was in or about 
the month of September, 1842. 

We remained at our camp, watching an opportunity to attack the moder- 
ators, some eight or ten days, having occasional skirmishes with small bodies 
of the enemy. In one instance we went with a few men near the house of Mr. 
Shoat, a few shots were fired and some of the enemy wounded. On the side of 
the regulators there were no injuries. In this camp we remained receiving 
information and advice from friends in San Augustine, until the day the militia 
arrived, when we were disbanded and all returned to their homes. 

At a meeting of the regulators I made a motion that the different counties 
of the Republic be notified of what was going on with us and advised to 
organize, arm and protect themselves. The letters were written by Colonel 
Morman and C. T. Hilliard, and being received by the counties had a strong 
effect. Upon this action the moderators called upon General Houston, presi- 
dent of the Republic, and urged him to call out the militia, and stated that their 
numbers had been reduced from two hundred and thirty to sixty-five and that 
was their number when surrounded by the regulators in the thicket, after the 
battle at Hilliard's. General Houston anticipating the approach of Santa 
Anna, and believing the discord between the citizens would enable Santa Anna 
to overrun ihe country, called out the militia, and placing them, to the number 
of 1500 men, under the command of General James Smith, sent them to Shelby 
county, when upon their arrival, the citizens laid aside their arms and went 
home, and ended the war between the regulators and the moderators. 



-26— 



CHAPTER X. 

I had gone into Louisiana with some friends, but returned to aid in the 
interment of Howell Hudson. We buried him with military honors, firing a 
platoon over his grave. We made preparaiions to leave after filling the grave, 
when it was proposed that we hunt for Henry Stilckland, thinking he could be 
found that night. We started and soon discovered the 'tracks of the horse rode 
by the spy of the moderators. We chased him five miles but he escaped. 
Going on further we met Colonel Morman, who invited the men into a grocery 
and treated them. We took an old road, going to the Strickland settlemen':, 
and met the old man Morman and Washington Parrish driving a yoke of oxen 
in full run; they told us to turn back that the militia were at Hilliard's and 
eighty men were coming in our direction. We did not wish to be found with 
arms in our hands and we turned and went back past the grocery. Nine of our 
men stopped, as by this time, they w^anted more l.quor. We turned then to 
cross the river at Logansport, so as to be in Louisiana. One company of 
militia stopped at my house, got some previsions and inquired for me; they 
were coming up to uni e with the others. Colonel Morman going alone in the 
direction of Logansport, met this company and they took him prisoner. One 
of the Horton's was in this company and attempted to shoot Morman, but 
Morman seeing it, was ready and made an effort to fire, but they were prevented 
by the militia. Colonel Morman was deprived of his weapons and his blowing 
horn would have been taken, but he claimed it was not a weapon and it was 
restored to him. While the miljtia were standing with Morman, we rode up, 
,.iid discovering who they were, we turned and made our escape. Tom Stanford 
ran far ahead and we did not see him till next day. That night we crossed the 
Sabine river. Colonel Morman was taken to Dave Strickland's and from there 
scouts were sent about the country. These men, of the militia, finding every- 
thing so different from what had been represented, that they informed their 
commanding officer, General Smith, that they must be disbanded, or they would, 
in a body, join Colonel Morman to rid the country of counterfeiters, ;hieves and 
other lawless men. The next day the militia was disbanded and all returned 
to their homes, except one company which was retained and stationed for a 
a short time in Shelbyville, to maintain law and order. One of the company 
raised a difficulty with Albert Harris, a regulator, and attempted to kill him, but 
finding Harris ready for the .conflict he ran and concealed himself. Vardeman 
Duncan, a moderator, then took up the difficulty against Harris. Duncan 
advanced upon him with a knife, when Harris, to get advantage in law, retreated 
a few steps, then fired and missed; Duncan still pursued with his knife, when 
Harris fired a second time and killed Duncan. Then that company of militia 
was discharged. 

John M. Bradley tried to procure the killing of Colonel Wat Merman, and 
he, (Bradley) left home and went to San Augustine, still continuing to threaten 
the life of Mcrraan. Colonel Morman find'ng he v/as compelled to fight, took 



—27— 

John Reynolds and David Winborn with him and went to San Augustine. 
There they found Bradley in church, attending a meeting. Morman entered 
the church and set facing Bradley. He had been seen by Bradley and before 
the conclusion of the services, he (Morman) went out and stood on the gallery, 
at the door of the church. Bradley came out at the close surrounded by a 
crowd of women. Morman had dreamed that Bradley wore a steel jacket and 
as Bradley came out Morman cried, "Clear the track, Wat's here!" at the same 
moment aimed and fired at Bradley, just below where he thought the steel 
jacket would come. Bradley fired also. Bradley was killed ; his ball struck at 
Morman's feet. It was found afterwards that Bradley wore a steel jacket, and 
he had been shot below it. Morman surrendered to the authorities of San 
Augustine county, was tried and acquitted. The defense being the threats made 
by Bradley and his offer of one thousand dollars to any one who would kill 
Colonel Morman. 

CHAPTER XI. 

The freebooters who belonged to the party of the moderators were Willis 
Watson, Tiger Jim Strickland, Amos Strickland, Henry Strickland, Dave Strick- 
land, Sam McFadgin and his three sons, William, Bally and John J. Goodbread, 
Jno. Smith, Sam Todd, John Applegate, Jno. M. Bradley, Bob Clifford, Baily 
Anderson, Jonas English, Joshua English, Emory Raines, chief counsellor. 

I was so much annoyed by my enemies in Shelby county, by being waylaid, 
my horses poisoned, etc., and was kept so much disturbed that I left Shelby 
county in 1851 and settled twelve miles west of Jordan's Saline, in the county 
of VanZandt. I took my remaining stock with me. Here I traded my horses 
for a large stock of hogs, keeping only one mare. And during my absence from 
home Rusk Mclnturf, with his clan, stole my whole stock of hogs and escaped 
with them. 

In 1854 I bought another stock of hogs, intending to move my whole stock 
to the Brazos, and going to collect them, found them all gone again. What I 
could find of my hogs, horses and cattle, I took with me to the Horse Shoe 
bend of Brazos river, in Parker county. 



CHAPTER XH. 



In 1856 I moved my stock to the head of Kickapoo creek in Erath coun'.y. 
Here they did well until the close of the late civil war. In 1855 I lived in Big 
Valley above the Horse-Shoe Bend of the Brazos river, in Parker county. There 
myself and family were sick. At one time I was in want of breadstuff, and 
learning that a wagon load of flour and whiskey had arrived at the house of a 
man named Sanchez, living in the neighborhood, I went to the place to procure 
what I required when I met a man by the name of Walker, who had waylaid me 
in Shelby county. I got my flour and was about to start home, when Walker 
stepped up, caught me in the bosom with his left hand, in his right hand, raised 



—28— 

above his head, he held a dangerous knife. He accused me of going with Col. 
Mormon to waylay and kill him. I was unarmed and unsuspicious of a difficulty 
in going to the place. I knocked his hand loose from my bosom, and pressed 
close to him with my face to his looking him in the eye ; he shut his eyes, closed 
his knife, put it in his pocket and walked away. He went into Sanchez's house 
and the crowd inside hearing the loud talk came out hurriedly. Sanchez met 
Walker at the fence, Walker gave him his bridle reins to hold and went into the 
house and came out again immediately without any more weapons. Coming to 
the fence he got another cup of whiskey and desired me to drink with him; I 
told him I would not drink with any such man, and any man who accused me 
of going with Col. Mormon to waylay him or any one else was a liar and no 
gentleman, that he (Walker) belonged to one party and I to another, but I had 
never taken advantage of any one. He then invited me to go home with him, 
but I refused. He then proposed to go home with me. I answered that he 
could go where he pleased that I should not go with him. About that time 
Phillis Stroud came up, and I went on with Stroud who lived near me. When 
we started Walker went with us and affecting to be very drunk fell from his 
horse and went no further. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

After this efforts were made to raise a difficulty between Walker and myself. 
People were afraid of him and thought him a desperado. I was urged to fight 
him but I was not to be decoyed into trouble. 

A party was given at old man Pointers, two miles above me on Kickapoo 
creek. Walker, together with the basest characters, male and female, of the 
country, was there. I was about a mile from Pointer's at J. W. White's, getting 
a load of rails, when Walker with six men came to "wind me up." Mohorn 
came with Walker, both ai'med. The doors of White's house were east and 
west. They came up on the south side. The other men, seven in all, surrounded 
the house two at a side. I went out into the yard as they came in at the east 
door. There were only two men. White and Rightman, at the house when they 
saw me. I was unarmed except a derringer in my belt. As I stepped out they 
asked me for a drink of water. I spoke to White and said "these men want 
water, I am too well raised to hand such men water, you can do as you please." 
White brought the water. Walker was dismounting from his horse, and it was 
handed to Mohorn. Walker said "Mr. Middleton, I would like to have a civil 
chat with you." I told him to "go ahead, I'll talk to you or any one else." He 
answered he wanted a private chat. I said "go ahead, I will follow." White 
had just erected a little smoke-house and it was not quite finished. Walker 
started around and gett.ng near the corner near a pile of lumber I told him to 
stop, righ. there we would settle it. I had my hand on my pistol and was ready 
for him. Walker dropped at once, and sitting down before me, said he would 
make any acknowledgements I wished. I told him I wanted no difficulty and 
feared none, I was always ready when one came up, but rather avoided it and 



—29— 

acted in self defence. I said "you say you want no difficulty?" He answered, 
no, he did not, and would make any acknowledgements I asked. I told him he 
had made enough, to attend to his own business and let mine alone and never 
cross my path again. He promised to do so, said he was done, and never in- 
tended to interfere further with me. We then walked back to the yard where 
his six men were assembled. Mohorn took me aside and requested me not to 
be displeased with him for coming with Walker, as he came only to get the 
difficulty settled. "What!" said I. "Mohorn, did you suppose your coming 
strengthened the matter any? Suppose all of you, the whole clan had come, no 
strength would have been added. Walker could settle it alone as well." Ad- 
dressing all then, I said: "Gentlemen, I want you all to understand that Jno. W. 
is a crowd anywhere, I want no apologies from any of you, I want you to get on 
your horses and leave here, and leave quick. All then mounted and left without 
resenting anything I had said. I never saw Walker but once after. He went 
near Fort Belknap and remained a short time. In connection with a man named 
Langston he killed a man there, and after that I met him once alone. I had my 
shot gun. We talked a short time in a friendly manner, separated, and I have 
not seen him since. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Walker and four others, Joe Robertson, Bob Tucker, Covington and Dordy 
were the men who, pretending to be Indians, murdered Cameron and his wife in 
Lost Prairie. Dordy was killed while resisting arrest for stealing the same 
horses for which Covington and Tucker were hung on Pulaxy. I have been 
informed that Robertson was executed, but have no personal knowledge of it. 
Walker is yet living. 

In the fall of 1856 I moved to the head of Kickapoo creek, and the Indians 
were located on the reserve in Young county. For a short time they remained 
peaceable. Early in 1857 they commenced depredating. They came in by 
families and camped, pretending to hunt and were very friendly. Part of them 
would steal horses and when charged with it would accuse the wild Indians as 
the perpetrators. I was elected captain of an independent company for home 
protection. The Indians came in and camped on Saline creek and were accom- 
panied by "Choctaw Tom," an interpreter. Two Indians on one occasion came 
out near Buck creek in the edge of the settlement. Two of the Lavender family, 
one partly deranged, went out cow hunting in the direction of Saline creek. A 
point of a mountain came down in the valley, and on this point the two Indians 
were stationed, one on the south and the other on the opposite side. A long 
rock came down from the point and was split in the middle. One Indian ran 
into this opening and as the men passed shot at them but missed. These men 
not perceiving they were fired at, and presuming the firing to be by some neigh- 
bor hunting, started towards the place when they discovered the Indian, and 
returning at once, notified me. I raised seventeen men and early next day was 



—so- 
on the spot; following the trail we overtook them just before sundown. We 
divided and came up on different sides of the encampment, when Choctaw Tom 
came out and told us they were there peaceably to hunt and wished to do no 
one harm. I answered that the Indians of the reserve were accused of horse 
stealing and that much of it was going on in the country. He said it was by 
wild Indians. I answered we did not know wild Indians from tame ones and 
they had better get away, that I was hunting the Indians who were doing the 
mischief and they had shot at two men and I had tracked them to that camp. 
An otd laughing Indian (one who laughs all the time) said he had shot at a deer 
and not at them. Choctaw Tom promised to take the Indians back at once to 
the lower reserve where they belonged. I left them and returned next morning. 
They left that day, but went into Palo Pinto county and stopped again. Peter 
Garland discovered they were there, raised a company and went against them. 
He went to their camp and dividing his command approached them in two 
divisions. One party made an immediate attack and killed several Indians; two 
of the attacking party were killed. The other division fired one round, retired 
to reload and failed to return. 



CHAPTER XV. 

The next difficulty was in the same year, 1857. A party of Indians came in 
and killed a man named Browning. They came from the upper reserve This 
man Browning, was in the woods below Baylor's ranch and fought the Indians 
alone for some time and killed one. WJien charged with this crime it was 
attributed by them to wild Indians. Jno. R. and George Baylor were then 
absent. On their return they determined to avenge the death of Browning, and 
taking four men went on the frontier to a point on the Indian trail which the 
Indians would pass on their return They stopped and during a consultation 
they saw two Indians coming, who retreated before the men could get ready to 
follow on horseback. One of the Indians was shot and killed, the other escaped. 
The white men then went to another trail where they met six Indians; fighting 
commenced at once and every Indian was killed. One of the Indians, wounded 
in the beginning, protected himself behind a rock and was the last killed. After 
this fight and on the same day, they moved and came up in the rear of seven 
Indians They were accompanied by a chief who wore a wig with a wide 
leathern strap hanging from it to his feet, and this adorned with silver plates at 
intervals. Jno. R. Baylor told his party to notice him knock off one of the plates; 
he fired knocked off the plate and wounded the Indian. They then charged 
the Indians. One of the Indians jumped up behind the chief to cai-ry him away, 
but was shot down. They killed three then, the chief died afterwards. The 
others escaped temporarily by hiding in the drift of a creek near by, but being 
discovered were killed, making thirteen that day. They then went to the camp 
of the rangers, which was in the neighborhood, as they were nearly out of 
ammunition. The rangers now went to look for Indians but found none; they 
found the body of the chief and sent the strap with the silver plates to Col. Baylor. 



Baylor. After this the country commenced organizing to whip and drive away 
the Indians from the upper and lower reserve. John R. Baylor and Peter 
Garland gathered what forces they could from. Erath and Palo Pinto counties 
and established their head quarters at Baylor's ranch and vicinity, on the Clear 
Fork of Brazos, ten or twelve miles east of the upper reserve. John R. Baylor, 
Peter Garland, Henry Pugh, John Fry and myself then went to the lower 
reserve with the forces then as to our future action. Baylor remained there and 
sent Garland back. Pugh and Fry went back w'ith Garland. At the request of 
Baylor I remained with him. As soon as the organization was completed, 
Ward, with one hundred men, was sent to re-inforce Garland on the upper 
reserve, it being determined to destroy the Indians (Comanches) of that reserve 
first. Baylor then, with his regiment, went to the upper reserve, taking part of 
Captain Hamner's company as advance guard. The guard met a squad of 
Indians who retreated to the reserve; Hamner cliarged upon them, but his stake 
rope fell off his horse and catching, checked him, and the Indians escaped. He 
returned, resumed command and moved on until v^'e got in sight of a Waco 
village on our left and a Caddo or Annadako village on our right. The 
Indians raised the warhoop on our right; they were in the brush and Hamner 
making a flank movement, they ran and escaped. "We were now at the lower 
reserve. The road ran along the edge of the village, and we moved and formed 
line of battle in the road. A squad of Indians from the reserve, came over the 
hill in sight of us, wheeled and ran back. Soon the officers of the U. S. army 
came and beckoning to us for a parley, our officers, Baylor and the captains of 
companies met them, when the ofP-cers of the U. S. army ordered them off the 
reserve. The line of march was then taken for the upper reserve. . On my 
reaching Salt Creek the principal part of the regiment had crossed. A high 
bluff was on the east side of the creek and we were on the west side. Two 
Indians on this bluff bantered us, and by all sorts of actions endeavored to 
provoke us into an attack upon them. Hamner's company was in the rear and 
ordered to lecross the creek and attack the Indians in the rear. After he had 
crossed and was going around the bluff, Baylor asked my opinion as to whether 
it was a good place to fight. I replied it was not, and called his attention to the 
Indians in the valley and the fact that v/e were still on the reserve. We recalled 
Hamner's company and moved on slovvly. As Hamner was passing to his place 
in the regiment he was fired upon and his horse wounded in the hip by a bullet 
from a six shooter. Another man v.as shot at and a tree was struck by the large 
ball very near the man's head. I told Baylor that we had better continue the 
march until we had left the reserve and then stop and fight. We had gone but 
a few miles and were not yet off the reserve, when we were fired upon from a 
mountain on our rigiit, and the firing was kept up for two miles, and after we 
had passed the Tonkav. ay village. Before we passed the village an Annadako 
chief made frequent demonstrations of charging on our rear, and some young- 
men abandoned a pack horse which was carrying their provisions. Baylor went 
back, rescued the horse and v.-e halted until his return. Salt creek was on the 



—32— 

east side of the village, a bluff on the west side and a pond of lasting water at 
the foot of the bluff on the west side Baylor halted until Captain Hamner 
could come up after watering his horses in the pond. He marched the length 
of the company in the water and when the horses had drank countermarched to 
the rear. We saw only one Indian, who came running through the village. He 
was surrounded; Hamner ran up beside him and went with him to Baylor. 
Baylor spoke to him in several different Indian dialects, but he exhibited no 
knowledge of any. The Indian Avas between Hamner and Baylor, each having 
his gun in the saddle across his lap. Baylor took the Indian's gun and spat in 
the pan. The Indian letting go his gun, jerked Hamner's, but he held it fast and 
shot the Indian with his six shooter. The Indian then started forward and was 
again fired upon and killed. The Indians then raised a general yell, fired a full 
volley at us from the mountain, started to make a charge and tried to take 
possession of a ravine in our front, but finding it occupied by our troops, 
retreated. A few miles fui'ther on, we reached a mesquit flat — a post oak ridge 
a mile long was on our right and we had to go around the south end of it. 
Baylor staying in the rear, sent me with the colors to the point of the ridge. 
Captain Scantland was sent across the ridge to enclose any Indians found there. 
After I had passed the ridge a short distance, we were fired into from the ridge 
by the Indians; no one hurt. I ordered a charge of the men with me. A man 
named Cook, close to me, ran too fast and was too close to the Indians, when 
he was wounded by one of our men and died next day. Afer the Indians got 
out in the rear of Captain Scantland, we halted at the point of the ridge until 
we could bring in Cook. We carried him to the house of Wm. Marlin, about 
half a mile off. At Marlin's a branch heads east and runs past his house and 
turns west, and a mountain is southeast of Marlin's. Here the regular soldiers 
and Indian? came up behind the mountain. An Indian of the Annadako tribe 
was in command. I knew his voice when I heard him giving directions. We 
staked out our horses and prepared for fight. It was about 2 p. m.; we expected 
an attack before sundown. The Indians came before we expected them and 
raised their warhoop. We formed our lines in such positions as we thought 
best. Hamner's company formed near me and I fell in with that company. 
We marched up the west side of the branch where collected the enemy — the 
Indians and regulars. After marching a few hundred yards I saw a position 
from which I thought I could kill an Indian and placed myself near a post 
oak. I supposed some Indian would come down the branch to obtain some 
advantage and I would surprise him. A boy of the command took a similar 
position near me. A squad of men had advanced about two hundred yards to 
the top of the hill on my right and the battle was going on. Baylor came by and 
ordered me to take command of the squad on the hill, and on my arrival the firing 
ceased. The men informed me they had seen three Indians fall from their 
horses. In a few minutes Colonel Baylor came up to me and said: "Let's go 
and bring in our horses and put them under guard." I then went back, got our 
horses and ordered the guard to bring in all, which was done, and I returned to 



—33— 

my command. As I reached it, Van Burns started towards the mountain with 
his g-un and was gone but five minutes, when he killed an Indian and returned 
with his scalp. The Indian commander moved back and forth between the 
mountain and ravine giving- orders, mounted on a fine yellow horse which once 
belonged to a circus, well trained and gaited, and traded at the reserve. This 
Indian wore a wig, filled vdth turkey feathers, which he delighted in making 
whistle through the air as he dashed backward and forv/ard at high speed. He 
was repeatedly shot at. A man and boy went to the upper corner of Marlin's 
field to secure a shot at him When the man reached his place he was shot at 
by the Indians and four holes made in his shirt and a blood blister raised on his 
hand as he cocked his gun. He fired at the Indian on the yellow horse and cut 
off his wig which contained the feathers, and when they fell the Indians all 
raised a yell. After this he seemed to exert himself to a greater degree and 
press his horse to greater speed than before. When he came back again near the 
man and boy, it was agreed that the man shoot at the Indian and the boy at the 
horse. When the guns fired the Indian ceased commanding, the horse lessened 
his speed to a slow gallop, and a short distance over the hill fell. For fifteen or 
twenty minutes no command was given; then Peter Ross from around the 
mountain commenced giving orders. A squad of men from a house about one 
hundred yards below Marlin's was attracting much attention from the Indians 
by their close shooting. A Mr. Washburn from the corner of the chimney kept 
up a strong fire and was doing execution. An Indian crept up between the boy 
stationed near me, as before stated, and Mr. Washburn, and firing, killed 
Washburn. The boy then discovered the Indian and being ready with his gun, 
fired, the Indian fell over on some bushes and before the boy could reload, fell 
from that position into the ravine, out of sight. Strong evidence w^as afterwards 
found there that if not killed he had been badly wounded. The Indians com- 
menced retreating as soon as Ross took command and no more fighting worthy 
of mention was done. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

We remained upon the battle ground until next morning. The sun was 
nearly down when we ceased firing and not knowing whether another attack 
would be made, we kept our place, with a proper guard for our horses. The 
next morning I was placed on picquit guard until we could bury Washburn and 
carry the two wounded to Fort Belknap. Colonel Baylor desired to go at once 
to the upper reserve, but others contended for going with the wounded by Fort 
Belknap. We had no paper and therefore sent verbal dispatches to Garland 
and White of the fight and our coming to the upper resen^e. The message v.^as 
not credited, and when we reached Fort Belknap we were threatened by the 
United States army with a cannonade, but we remained until the next evening; 
as our wounded men died and we wished to and did give them the rites of 
burial. The next evening we ma;ched out a few miles and camped, and then 



—34— 

arose much anxiety on the part of the men lest they sho'uld call upon them- 
selves the anger and force of the United States. One company having ar- 
ranged to leave that night left their horses saddled and intended going off in 
small parties past the guard, mounting their horses and leaving. Other com- 
panies perceiving that some of the horses were left with their saddles on did 
the same, rind during the night so much confusion resulted from the number of 
horses saddled and men meeting men who were not informed of the intention 
that the design was betrayed and no one left. In the night Baylor trebled the 
guard and ordered any man shot who offered to pass the lines. In the morn- 
ing I took the colors and called for volunteers Hamner with his company 
came first, and finally all came forward except Sutton's company from Weath- 
erford which refused to proceed further and returned home. We then moved 
on towards the upper reserve, when meeting with the command of Ward we 
halted, ate dinner and then the whole command returned to the lower reserve. 
Baylor went to his ranch. Garland harl left with his company and gone down 
the east side of the Brazos river to the lower reserve where all were collecting- 
After the men had collected and arrangments were making for a campaign, a 
compromise was made and the war against the reserve Indians ceased. The 
Texans returned to their homes. In the last fight mentioned above the Indians 
lost twenty-two who weie killed and died of their wounds. The Texans lost 
three killed. In the morning after our arrival at Baylor's i-anch, eight of us 
having gone there, I rose very early as was my custom and went out to move 
my horse, he was staked low down in the field near the river, and where, un- 
known to me, was a ford. Dr. Barkley, Howell and Clark stopped to wash 
their faces before moving their horses; the others were not yet out of bed. I 
was returning from my horse and the three men were untying the ropes from 
the stakes when I heard horses moving, and looking back saw Maj. Neighbors 
and nineteen Indians charging upon me not distant more than fifty yards. The 
men commenced hellooing, "Help! help! Indians, Indians!" I had called 
their attention by calling to them. "Look out, boys, the Indians are coming." 
Baylor came out and said they are white men as they have on citizen's clothes. 
1 replied they were Indians, when Baylor called up the men. I covered the re- 
treat of Howell and Clark by threatening them with my gun, but Dr. Barkley 
was captured. He was carried a short distance and after they had taken from 
him three gold dollars and his pen-knife he was permitted to return. The Uni- 
ted States authorities and the citizens assembled at the lower reserve agreed 
upon the removal of the Indians to Fort Cobb, when the people satisfied with 
the agreement disbanded and returned to their homes. We were then at peace 
with the Indians and for twelve months after but little mischief was done. 



-35- 



CHAPTER XVII. 

The first party which now came in killed Johnson and his negro servant in 
Comanche county and es.caped. The next, a man living near the western end 
of Duffau mountain in Erath county was out stock hunting between the moun- 
tain and a high knob. In a ravine near by he discovered a band of Indians 
making arrows in a dogwood thicket. He gave the alarm at once, and in a 
very short time a force was raised and divided into two parties. A young man 
named Caldwell and three others went to Matherell's Gap and the others to 
where the Indians had been seen. • The latter discovered the Indians, forced 
them out and pursued them on the north side of the mountain and ran them 
through the gap. The Indians came sooner than expected and Caldwell 
reached the gap just in time to meet them and there the fight commenced. 
Caldwell killed one there and the fight continued a short time and then the In- 
dians ran and a running fight was kept up for a short distance. The Indians 
left none of their number behind except the one killed. From this Indian an 
arm was taken, carried to the settlements, washed and proved to be that of a 
white man. The Indians in their flight killed and stole horses as they went and 
passed near my house. My son, Nathan, looking up some cows the next morn- 
ing found a bloody flour sack, Stair's mate killed and Ben Trimin's mare badly 
wounded. The next day I went to Stephensville and meeting with a returning 
party of citizens learned the inroad of the Indians. In 1860 four Indians came 
in and killed Jim Phillips on Puluxey, in Erath county. They took his two 
horses, scalped Phillips and wore off" his hat. Nathan Middleton rode out on 
his mule the same evening near to where Phillips was killed and found a cow 
and calf, and started to drive them home. The Indians were close by and saw 
him but he did not see them. The cow ran across some brakes of a ravine that 
ran into Kickapoo creek to get into the timber. One Indian riding a very small 
mule tryino to cut Nathan Middleton off, ran down the bed of the ravine to its 
mouth. Nathan finding he could not drive the cow in the timber, and not be- 
ing anxious to do so, as it was Sunday, left the cow and returned home thus 
escaping the Indians. 

J. W. White made arrangments to pursue the Indians, and came to my 
house. We were to start on the trail early next morning, and the balance of 
the men were to come to my house to go on with us, but no one came. We 
two went on and trailed them to near the head of Stroud's creek, where two 
beeves had been killed. They turned then on to Robertson creek and there we 
were joined by Truitt and McKenzie, and vve followed the trail to Kickapoo. 
We lost the trail there and circled to find where they had crossed the river. 
When we reached the river we turned up to Henry Maxwell's on the Weather- 
ford and Stephenville road. Maxwell had been out and discovered the trail a 
few miles above his house. The trail was found running across the river. 
White and Truitt swam the river and found one of Phillips' horses which they 
brought back. We were told by James Upton, from across the river, before the 



—se- 
men swam it that the Indians had been there and captured some horses. The 
river was up and the Indians swam it and went on to Golconda in Palo Pinto 
county. There a company of cow hunters came up with them, captured seven- 
teen of the horses and the red sl-cins escaped with only the horses they were 
riding". I went home and gathering a crowd went at once to the head of Sun- 
day creek valley expecting the return of the Indians. I reached the east side of 
the valley before sundown and took a station to watch, but I was a few minutes 
too late, the Indians had passed. Next morning about sunrise we struck the 
trail and ran the savages across the head of Puluxey creek and some distance 
down the Leon river We camped on the Leon, i-ain commenced falling and 
as we could not trail them we hastened back to Stephenville, and there learned 
that a company had met them the evening before at Duffau mountain, and that 
the Indians had left there and gone in the direction of my house. We hurried 
home and had not yet struck the trail. Tom Killen lived near the river, and in 
going home saw the trail but he was alone and the Indians too long gone to try 
to follow. In this raid the Indians were so closely pursued that they got 
nothing. 

The horses captured from the Indians at Golconda were staked out there 
by the cow hunters, and the Indians on their return went by and stole them 
again. The next morning the cow hunters discovered their loss and gave chase 
immediately. They followed until their horses were jaded and then met with 
another party of cow hunters on fresh horses. They took the trail and followed 
until evening when they overtook them seventy miles from Golconda. This 
pursuit was made in the part of one day. The Indians were bivouacked on the 
top of a mountain drying their blankets and jerking their meat in the sun. The 
cow men were discovered by an Indian sentinel on the side of the mountain, 
and the Indians mounted and started to run. A small Indian riding a very 
slow horse had the scalp of Phillips and wore his hat, a large Indian remained 
to assist him Two Indians on swift horses endeavored to divert the attention 
of the cow m.cn but without success. The white men kept steadily after the 
small and large Indians. The small one having been killed the other ran but 
was caught and shot. He died soon after in the brush. The other two 
escaped. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Some time after this Wm. Culver was with his scouts watching for Indians 
on Saline creek in Palo Pinto county. Two men were posted on high moun- 
tains to watch the Indian trail. Culver and his men were in the valley. The 
signal was given that the Indians were coming. Culver and Ross dashed after 
them. There v;ere but two and being overtaken by Culver and Ross a hand- 
to-hand fight took place. One Indian was killed, the other wounded. The 
wounded Tndian when the other was killed jumped into the saddle upon Cul- 
ver's horse and made his escape. They had dismounted to fight and Culver's 



—37— 

horse was the best in the party. They trailed the Indian by his blood until 
night and continued the trail next morning. It was followed a mile up on the 
side of the mountain where they found Culver's horse tied to a tree, and search- 
ing they found the Indian lying dead under a shelving rock. 

A short time after another party came in accompanied by a Yankee sur- 
geon. They went down on Robertson creek in Hood county and turned back 
towards Kickapoo creek. They came in contact with Jackson and Nathan 
Holt driving a cow and yearling and a cow and calf. The two men were sepera- 
ted by the cow being hard to drive, the calf not keeping up. Nathan Holt was 
on foot leading his mare, and he was killed and scalped. It was two days be- 
fore his body was found, and then one-half a mile from where he had been 
driving the cattle. His arms were broken. 

A short time after another party of Indians came into the Duffau mountains 
and a party of citizens pursued them. A few miles to the north of Stephens 
ville they (the citizens) were met by Jesse Caroway, Matherwell and some 
others, who took up the trail and caught up with the Indians near the head of 
Bosque river and a hand-to-hand fight ensued. Caroway was wounded in the 
face by an arrow, Matherwell was slightly wounded. Many Indians were 
wounded but all escaped. 

Another party of Indians came in on Puluxey, south of the Stephenville 
and Granbury road and stole horses. Gideon Mills gathered a crowd of boys 
and came up by my ranch when in answer to his question they said they were 
on the Indian trail and went on. I overtook them in three or four miles where 
they had lost the trail. The Indians were at last discovered on Weaver branch 
and pursued until they reached Kickapoo creek. These Indians escaped but 
they lost all their horses except the ones they rode, but these were the best and 
those that had been stolen. As usual on the return of the pursuing party the 
recovered horses were returned to the owners, and the captured Indian horses 
given to those whose horses were not recaptured. 

In 1862 another party came in near Mansco's. Old man Mansco, his son 
Tom and a man named Cross v;^ere out stock hunting when they were attacked 
by the Indians. Cross was killed. The Manscos escaped by dismounting and 
getting to the creek, but they lost their horses. Another party came in where I 
lived. Pleasant Boyd was herding cattle below and starting from the herd to 
go to Capp's was attacked on the way. He tried to escape by running but his 
horse was too slow. He was armed with a six-shooter but only two barrels 
would fire. On the left he was headed by an Indian on a large mule, and he 
dismounted at a bunch of post oaks. His pistol and several guns were heard 
by the neighbors. Boyd was killed there and found shot in several places. 
The sign discovered that there were three or four Indians, and they went up on 
Double Mountain and thence down Kickapoo creek. 



—SB- 
CHAPTER XIX. 

Not long after I was informed about dark of the inroad of another party of 
Indians. I went out by moonlight to bring in my horses and found a fine mule 
and a cavallado horse gone. Next day I found the trail and saw where a man 
had walked in his socks without shoes to where my horses had been in the 
prairie at the head of a ravine. Here from the sign the Indians had indulged 
themselves in a dance. They got away with the horses. In about a week 
I struck a trial and my mule track was there going west; the Indians before 
had gone east. In about a mile of my house I found where the mule and horse 
had been grazed. In eight or ten days I say the same trail going east. With 
Cunningham I trailed them on the range all day; we then followed the trail 
to the mouth of Robertson creek v/here it was lost by getting among loose 
horses. Not long before the break-up of the late civil war, Captain Jackson 
with his company from Missouri came by my house on the way to California, 
deserting from the Confederate army. They helped themselves to horses or 
whatever else they wanted as they passed. They camped for dinner near my 
house and had with them my mule which had been stolen by the Indians. I 
was absent at the time and my wife claimed the mule and before she could get 
out of the house to go to the mule a man had mounted it and was gone, and 
the mule was lost. In 1863 twenty-five Indians came in on Leon. Flannagan 
and Smith who had been living on the head of Leon river moved to McCain's 
ranch on Palo Pinto creek. Flannagan sent his son and Smith back with an 
ox team and covered wagon after their household goods when they were at- 
tacked. Smith escaped on foot through the brush of the Leon, after he had 
been wounded in the leg by an arrow before he got out of the wagon. Flanna- 
gan got out of the wagon and fought until he was killed. 

A man with a woman mounted on the horse behind him was riding near a 
house when attacked by the same band of Indians last mentioned. He would 
threaten with his gun, the Indians retreat the man then spur forward, and this 
repeated until his cries brought assistance from the house when the Indians 
left them. The woman received several arrows in the hips but she recovered. 
In 1864 I started alone to go to Stephenville riding a three-year-old colt not 
bridlewise. I learned in the town that the Indians were in the country again 
and a scout had gone in the direction of my house. I found Mart Stone who 
was going towards my house; he was traveling with his wagon to Hunt county 
and had a boy with him. A scout was preparing to leave Stephenville, but as 
they were slow in starting Stone, the boy and I went on. We went together 
about three miles, and then I went on alone. About five miles from town I 
saw some men sitting on their horses about half a mile from the road. I went 
forward and came to a place which for some distance hid me from the party. 
I concluded to make an examination and see who they were and rode up the 
bank. As I was going up I saw two Indians rise up and peer over at me. I 
turned instantly and ran towards Stephenville. The Indians were riding race 



—39— 

horses belonging to Mansco and Tucker. They pursued me a mile and a quar- 
ter, when I met Stone. I was shot at twice before I reached him, and the ar- 
rows grazed me in both instances. Here we were fought by the whole party. 
The Indians shooting at us in all directions except the rear, and the fight con- 
tinued until about two hours before sundown. The boy was wounded in the 
thigh by an arrow, Stone was touched on the hand. We became separated, 
each trying to make his escape. Stone and myself reached Stephenville in 
safety that night. The boy hid himself in a pile of driftwood in the branch till 
morning. In Stephenville I obtained the assistance of four men, and armed 
myself with a shot-gun. We arrived at the fighting ground, trailed the Indians 
a little that night, followed them the next day, but they had all gone but one 
who was so badly wounded by Stone in the fight that he died there. The boy 
was found, his wounds dressed and he got well. Stone's oxen had broken away 
with his wagon, the fore wheels became detached and left the body, which with 
the contents were found uninjured except in the places struck by bullets and 
arrows. The Indians had been to the houses of Redmond Stone and Wm. 
Culver and would have murdered the women and children there remaining, 
but the scout following the trail after my fight frightened them away. Fresh 
tracks of their horses were all around the houses. Wm. Culver was captain of a 
scouting party. 



CHAPTER XX. 

And now when about to conclude the biography of my eventful life, I will 
break the thread of my story and return a little Before secession a regiment 
to be commanded by Col. Van Rimple was stationed by order of General Sam 
Houston at Double Mountain on Hubbard's creek and to keep out scouts all 
the time. Buck Barry, now of Bosque county, commanded a company in this 
regiment. I was a member and served with it until the states seceded when we 
were disbanded and I returned home. The regiment reorganized for the war. 
It was my intention to go into the Southern army, but my son Nathan volun- 
teered and I was then obliged to remain at home. My son was captured at 
Arkansas Post, carried to Camp Douglass and died there in pinson. Finding I 
could not go and take the place of my sick son in Arkansas I went to Bayou 
Mason in Louisiana with Alex. McNeil and Ben Sparks with a drove of cattle. 
I furnished forty steers and went as a hand at tv/o dollars a day, holding my 
cattle until I got my pay. We camped fourteen miles above Delhi the night be- 
fore it was burned; crossed Bayou Mason and went to Joe's Bayou, was there 
when the first battle of Vicksburg was fought and distinctly heard the reports 
of the cannon. At Lake Washington we arrived in the evening with 106 beeves 
immediately after the Federal soldiers had left for Arkansas Post. I sold the 
106 beeves there, and then went back to Joe's Bayou and sold the remainder. 
We then went to Delhi to take the cars but were delayed by the soldiers about 
five days. I then returned home. 



—40— 

After my return the Indians continued troublesome, the neighbors had 
moved away, the health of my wife had declined and in 1867 I removed with 
family to Ruckers creek on the east side of the Brazos river in Hood county, 
and in 1869 I moved from there to my present residence in the eastern part of 
Hood county on Fall creek. 

In 1871 my wife sickened and died. She was in all relations of life a noble 
woman, as wife and mother faithful, watchful and affectionate, industrious and 
charitable. No man's domestic life was more blessed than mine. 

Two years after the death of my wife I married Jane Bosson, a favorite of 
my first wife, and widow of Wm. Bosson — her maiden name was Cummins. 
She had six children at our marriage, and we have lived together until the 
present time without jar or discord; her children are good and kind and we 
have never disagreed, which is evidence not alone of their respect for their 
mother and myself but of their own goodness of heart and nobility of 
character. 

I have had during my career many personal conflicts, many chases after 
Indians and violators of the law which are not narrated in these pages. To 
have told all would have occupied more space and time than I could hope to 
give. After my settlement on Ruckers creek everything remained quiet and I 
have not since been under the necessity of taking up arms to defend myself or 
country. I bear upon my person the scars of many wounds and many bullets 
which were not extracted and still remain in my body. My left arm is useless, 
but my general health is good, and now at the age of 75 my mind is bright and 
vigorous, and I am as strong and hearty as I could have hoped or wished. Age 
sits lightly upon my shoulders, and I have the consolation in looking back over 
the past to find that there is little I could wish to change. 



THE END. 

The foregoing is a true and correct copy of the original pamphlet, page 
for page, line for line, word for word. Compared by 

HARRIET SMITHER, Archivist, 

Texas State Library. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

mill III 



014 646 337 ft 



